need intermediate level book recomendations

A good theory book and a stack of CD's to start transcribing and analyzing, that's intermediate level.

 

Theory books there have been lots of threads on so I would check those out. The MI series of books has a good basic theory book by Carl Schroeder. For ear training there are a few websites with online testing software. Again have been many threads with links to ear training sites.

A good thing to do is once you know enough theory and know scale degrees is to sing bass lines you know. That helps relate ear to sounds you are already know.

 

I really like the material Dr William Fowler used to put in his downbeat magazine column (raised some fine musicians in his family too); I think its been assembled in a book. Good enough ideas, examples and illustrations, and insight into the thought behind it all to help one get a Zappa-like grip on the materials.

Unlike some material I didn't find it unnecessarily pedantic - he seems to go deep but with a mindset toward practical application.

 

I just got Mike Levy's Blues play-along book, and I like the way he writes out some lines and leaves it to the student to figure out the embellishments. Very cool intermediate book, I'll write a more detailed review shortly.

Link to the book. Check it out and download a free sample.

 

Good intro to theory book.

The key once past beginner stage is seat time with a metronome, some sort of recorder, and a notebook to take notes and track your progress. Every theory element you learn spend three times as much time trying to put it into use on your instrument. Every bass line, progression, or solo you transcribe spend time analyzing so you know why you like or don't like it, this builds your resource of ideas. Find someone to just sit and play with another bass player, KB, or ??? Getting to sit with someone you know and try ideas and critic each other is great learning tool. Plus do lots of listening and not just to the styles you like listen to all music and try to hear why people like it. But most important remember to have fun.

 

Here are a few links that I've found useful and hope you will as well. Some may not be at your level but I leave them in and let you be the judge. Some go outside of learning theory and delve into music in general which I also leave in because, IMO, they're pretty interesting.

Good luck.

Must reads:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=429034 If I only knew then...
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=434246 Best musical advice
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=481465 Things every bassist should know
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=500896 "Feel"

Learning stuff
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=79878 How to practice bass
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50170 How to practice bass

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=80043 Creating bass lines
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125536 Creating bass lines - Target Approach
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=491679 Playing behind/ahead of the beat

Theory
http://www.musictheory.net/index.html Xlnt visual Beginning Music Theory (Power Point lessons), ear trainer, chord calc., more
http://www.download.com/NoteCard/3000-2133_4-10004005.html Downloadable program for learning the bass clef. (as recommended by AlphaMale)
http://www.playthebass.com print flashcards for learning bass clef, print staff paper

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=498975 Key signatures/Circle of 5ths/Cycle of 4ths
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=479401 Learn to read music
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=479642 Learn to read music
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6521582 Improve site reading
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=419687 Read bass clef
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=485421 Using modes
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2338584&postcount=4 Learning modes
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125519 Intro to scale and chord theory
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=473968 Learning Theory
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56761 TB Gen. Instruction Theory links list
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88294 Theory (from the DB side of TB)

Books and instructional materials
http://www.bassbooks.com/shopping/default.asp Books, DVDs, all styles and methods
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=491293 Looking for the Bass "Bible"
http://playbassnow.com/recommended-learning-materials/ MarlowDK's recommended books
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=498831 "Best" theory/harmony book
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=502252 Walking bass lines
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99676 Theory Books Links

Software for transcribing/slowing down songs/Looping software/metronome,etc.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142112 Transcribing software
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=481448 Slow down software
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23303 Slow down software
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=269168 Free music software thread

Styles
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=486412 Blues Turn arounds
http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/appendix/blues/Bluesprogression.html Blues Progressions explained with samples
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=501425 Learning Latin music
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9859 Learning to play jazz
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=482544 Jazz Scales

Free online lessons
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=481548 Dman has videos
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=490379 Who's the best youtube bass teacher?
http://www.studybass.com/ Complete bass studies including online metronome, fretboard printer, bass clef tutor and more.
http://www.activebass.com/ Tab based lessons by members for members covering all types of bass instruction.
http://www.playbassnow.com with MarlowDK including videos.
http://www.thelibster.com/bass/ includes beginners' guide/lessons, tech advice, fingerboard drills, bass sound files, playing tips, a Q&A, links & more.
http://www.musicdojo.com/index.asp Online bass course (5 day free trial)
http://www.cliffengel.com/ Free and paid lessons

Online study of music theory/ear training.
http://www.teoria.com/ Check out the tutorials, exercises and reference dictionary
http://www.good-ear.com/ Ear training
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/IcerC/OnlineScreen.swf Test your ear

College music
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=479377 So you want to be a music major in college
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=484028 Solfege
http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/ Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary (great for music theory terms)

Funk it up
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6527889&postcount=10 Funk, groove and R&B bass players

 

Varunkapahi (and others):

I've written five bass books for Hal Leonard, which you may find helpful:

FUNK BASS, my first book, deals exclusively with slapping;

FUNK/FUSION BASS, my second book, focuses on finger-style funk.

ROCK BASS, my third book, traces the evolution of rock (and rock bass lines and solos) from the '50s through the '90s;

BLUES BASS, my fourth book, covers the evolution of blues (and blues bass lines and solos) from the Delta, New Orleans, Chicago, West Coast, etc.

BASS GROOVES: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION, is my brand new book, scheduled for release at the January 2009 NAMM Show. It's chock full of bass grooves in just about any style you'll ever need: blues, jazz, rock, funk/R&B, reggae, country, latin and much more. Will Lee, who wrote the foreword, says it's "the most important book since Standing in the Shadows of Motown!"

I hope I can be of help to you and your bass playing. Contact me anytime if I can be of help. Thanks!

Jon Liebman

 

Jon that book sounds interesting, I will keep my eye out for it.

Varunkapahi, I usaully reccomend The Bass Bible by Paul Westwood as a good intermediate book, for similar reasons. Its a very useful guide to styles of bass from around the world, including specific "in the style of" sections profiling a few greats. also a good section on typical chord progressions, some advanced harmonics, and some basic theory.

Can the mods please give Stumbo permanent sticky status?

 

Thanks, mambo4!

 

Hey Jon, that Bass Grooves book looks very interesting.

 

Thanks, RedsFan! I'll let you (and everyone else) know when it comes out.

Jon Liebman

 

MODS: Great sticky material here, unless it's already posted and I just missed it!

 

Hey, mambo4, RedsFan75 and the rest of you who asked. I'm responding to let you know that my newest Hal Leonard book, BASS GROOVES: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION, is now available (and really cheap!) on my new website.

Check out www.JonLiebman.com and let me know what you think.

Thanks!

Jon Liebman